Bushfires may occur due to various reasons. It can result from climate change or human error. These catastrophic phenomena put our lives, property and natural resources at risk.
So, what can we do to reduce and prevent them? Although it might be difficult, taking simple but effective preventive measures is the key to minimising the severity of destructive bushfires.
Here are ten tips to effectively reduce and prevent bushfires from happening. Read on to know more.
1. Adhere to Environment Laws and Regulations
Australia’s national environment law protects and preserves our surroundings and natural environment. The entire population needs to follow such regulations to keep everything safe.
Many local government units have laws governing any burning. There are some restrictions to when and what to burn. We all have a significant role to play when it comes to reducing bushfire incidents across the country.
2. Pay Attention to Weather Conditions
Weather conditions like drought affect the overall flammability of any vegetation. Checking on weather updates lets you know what measures to undertake to prevent bushfires from starting on your property.
When it’s hot and windy, it’s best to refrain from doing any activities that involve fire, such as building a campfire or burning debris.
3. Check the Risk of Bushfires in Your Area
You can check the local forecast of bushfires for fire safety alerts. If you’re in an area with a history of bushfire incidents, make sure to prevent doing activities that could cause a fire.
Many areas in Sydney are at risk of bushfires’ daily. We should be aware of this and take the right measures to keep everything safe.
4. Keep Vehicles Off Dried Grass
When you’re off the road during a hot day, keep in mind that your exhaust temperatures can reach above 1,000 degrees.
Don’t park on dry grass to avoid sparking off a fire.
5. Tree Pruning and Maintenance
Pruning can significantly help you take care of your trees and prevent them from causing a bushfire. This method allows you to keep your trees healthy while clearing out huge branches that may fuel a fire.
It’s a job better left to professional arborists as they know what to do to eliminate any risk that comes with having trees overhanging buildings and power lines.
6. Regularly Mow the Grass and Rake Up Dried Leaves
A bushfire can start at any place with vegetation. It can even start from your backyard. So, if your property is near forest and bushland, it’s essential to take preventive measures to lessen bushfire incidents.
Routine grass mowing and raking up dried leaves are some of the simple but effective ways to reduce the probability of starting a bushfire in your place.
7. Dispose of Used Matches and Cigarette Butts Properly
Don’t just throw lit cigarettes outside your car when you’re on the road, especially in areas with vegetation or bushland.
These small things can spark a fire when they land on dried vegetation such as grass and leaves. You can dispose of your used cigarettes and matches in a closed container to ensure safety.
Another way is to dip them down into a cup of water before throwing them in the trash bin.
8. Clean Your Area
Make sure to clear away fallen leaves, twigs and other debris from your gutters and roofs. Also, keeping your outdoor combustibles to a minimum helps reduce the chance of dealing with sudden fire due to flammable substances.
9. Don’t Use Fireworks on Areas Near Vegetation
Many of us love fireworks and sparklers. However, remember to only light up fireworks in a wide-open space without any flammable materials.
You can check your local ordinances to verify the restrictions and make the right move when using fireworks.
10. Never Leave a Fire Unattended
If you’re doing campfires, start them in an appropriate place, away from all vegetation. When you’ve done your activities, make sure to put off the fire and never leave it unattended.
Doused it with water and smothered some dirt on it before leaving to ensure no flame was left.
Conclusion
Our simple actions for bushfire prevention can make a big difference if we all work together. We shouldn’t let bushfires take a significant portion of our wildlife and environment.
Knowing the risk factors and undertaking steps such as tree care and maintenance will effectively help minimise bushfires and preserve our natural resources.
We at Trees Down Under know how destructive bushfires are. Hence, we help prevent them through our tree services in Sydney.
Simply call us if you need to prune or remove a tree that may fuel a bushfire.
